Chapter 26 - I Do Not Consider You A Woman
The large military practice ground brought a smile over Ying Lili's lips. All types of military weapons could be found in the military warehouse which was on the left side of the ground. Still, there was insecurity in Ying Lili about whether she would be able to defeat Sheng Li or not. "I have to defeat him else he will enforce me to kill the person," Lili thought.
"Follow me," Sheng Li told Ying Lili. General Xiao came towards their highnesses and bowed his head in front of them. "Your highness, please this way," stated General Xiao. Both the crown prince and the crown princess went inside a large weapon house. The soldiers bowed their heads seeing the crown prince and crown princess there.
General Xiao turned to the crown prince and spoke, "Your highness, her highness will find difficulty in those robes." Sheng Li turned to Ying Lili who was looking at her royal dress. "Come with me," said Sheng Li and turned towards the dressing room. The guards standing there were dismissed by the crown prince. He then closed the doors when Ying Lili asked him why he was closing the door. "Do you want every man here to see you change?" Sheng Li queried Ying Lili.
Ying Lili got angry at him. "How can you say that? And, what do you mean by change?" Ying Lili questioned him.
Sheng Li stepped closer to her while Ying Lili stepped back. "Get aside. What are you trying to do?" Ying Lili confusedly asked him, furrowing her brows. Sheng Li did not stop when she was hit against a table there on which military uniforms were aligned. "Ahh," Ying Lili passed a low scream as she was hit against the table. Sheng Li was towering over her and then spoke, "You cannot fight with me in this dress. I do not want you to keep holding your long skirt while fighting with me."
Ying Lili got aside from him and said, "You want me to wear a dress for just a sword fight. I even defeated elder first brother in the swordsmanship. So, I do not think I shall change," asserted Ying Lili. Sheng Li gave a smile to Ying Lili.
"Lili, the first brother is mad for your beauty so, he intentionally got defeated by you. But, I am a different case. Do you think I will be easy on you just because of your charms?" Sheng Li asked.
"When did I say to you to go easy on me? You are over-confident in your strength. What if I defeat you? What will you do then?" Ying Lili asked the crown prince.
Sheng Li smiled and spoke, "I will kill that person for you."
"Eh?" "No, instead you will agree to one of my requests to you," asserted Ying Lili. Sheng Li agreed with her and leaned closer to her ear. "Other than intimacy with you, you can ask for anything," whispered Sheng Li. Ying Lili pushed the crown prince away. "What do you take me for? How can you even think of that?" Ying Lili complained. Sheng Li slightly laughed and then turned towards the table.
"Judging by your height, this uniform will be suited on you," asserted Sheng Li as he picked the third numbered dress from the right of the table. He picked it up and put it at the front of Ying Lili who stepped back. "Can you not stand straight?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili who straightened herself. Sheng Li measured the dress on Ying Lili when he heard her speaking.
"For a small fight, you are doing too much. Is it that necessary for you to have the swordfight?" Ying Lili queried him.
"I want to know what kind of fighter you are that everyone praises you. And, yes this is important because it is like a war where your victory or defeat will decide the life of a person," stated Sheng Li with a grin. The military uniform was white with metallic armor at the front with a low waist frock. "Change into this," Sheng Li proclaimed, handing the uniform to Lili.
"Call my assistants inside," Ying Lili told him.
"They cannot come inside. This is a men region," Sheng Li pronounced.
"But, I am a woman," Ying Lili answered.
"So? I do not consider you a woman," Sheng Li stated. "Now, no more questions and change into this uniform," Sheng Li in a threatening tone said. Ying Lili nodded and told Sheng Li that he shall wait outside for her. "No, I will be here. Do you want to tell every man here that we do not see each other as husband and wife?" Sheng Li asked her.
Ying Lili twitched her lips. "And, you expect me to change in front of you? Have you lost your mind?" Ying Lili shouted at him. Sheng Li placed his palm over Ying Lili's mouth and said, "Do not shout here. When did I say that I will look at you while you will change? There is another secret room behind this. I will be there. When you will be done changing, call me up. If you won't then, I will come out on my own," saying this Sheng Li put his hand down and went towards his left. Opening the door, he walked in and closed it.
"You are not looking, right?" Ying Lili asked Sheng Li who replied a 'No'. Ying Lili took off her upper overcoat, followed by the upper robes and the high waist skirt. She quickly put the bottom wear followed by the upper dress. She was happy that the dress perfectly fit her. But her hair was messier while changing. She called out Sheng Li who saw her messy hair.
"The uniform fits you perfectly," Sheng Li stated and got closer to her. "Your hair," he murmured as he caressed them. Ying Lili blinked her eyes and stopped him. She turned back, removed the hairpins and other hair accessories from her hair. Placing them on the table there, she made a bun of her hair and kept it intact on its place using a hairpin. "Okay, I am done. Let's go," Ying Lili told Sheng Li who nodded. They both came out of the dressing room when Sheng Li ordered the soldiers and the guards not to go inside.
General Xiao had already prepared the swords for them. Ying Lili grabbed the sword and then glared at Sheng Li. They both then left to the open ground followed by General Xiao.
Under the open blue sky, Sheng Li and Ying Lili could be seen standing in front of each other, meters away. Sheng Li was smirking at Ying Lili who was glaring at him. Eunuch Xing-Fu came closer to General Xiao and spoke, "what do General Xiao think? Who will win?"
"The crown prince will win unless he willingly accepts defeat which will not," General Xiao answered. Lei Wanxi too came there with Weng Yu and stood beside General Xiao. "Brother Sheng will never accept his defeat. He is not the person who will let go of a person easily," stated Lei Wanxi.
An-Ying Lili took the lead and attacked Sheng Li who easily defended her attack but was surprised to see the strength in Ying Lili's attack. The clanking sound of swords echoed in the air. Ying Lili pushed her sword towards Sheng Li, increasing the pressure on it when Sheng Li moved his sword swiftly along with Lili's such that she was pushed back and fell on the ground.
"Ahh, brother Sheng, be gentle on the crown princess," Lei Wanxi loudly said hearing which Sheng Li smiled. The crown princess was on her one knee and then stood up. "It feels like I am playing with a young girl," stated Sheng Li. Ying Lili again took the lead. Sheng Li easily defended her and moved from his place. The crown prince was now behind the crown princess. Moving his sword in the air, he hit it on Ying Lili's bun which opened up as the hairpin fell on the ground.
Ying Lili's long black hair flung open in the air as she quickly turned back. Ying Lili glared at him and twirled her sword in her hand. This time Sheng Li attacked her first when Ying Lili kicked him at his leg and with one swift movement turned back, directed her elbow towards Sheng Li to hit his stomach when Sheng Li grabbed her arm and locked Ying Lili's head in between his arm. Using his other free hand, Sheng Li grabbed Ying Lili's sword and dropped it to the ground.
"What kind of game are you playing with me? Hitting me without my permission?" Sheng Li told Ying Lili who was struggling in between his arm. She used her entire strength, punched Sheng Li who wavered in his step, and loosened his grip on her. Ying Lili took the chance and quickly grabbed the sword.
"Whoa! The crown princess hit the crown prince," Weng Yu said with a smile. Lei Wanxi also smiled seeing the two. "Their moves are perfect. General Xiao, I think if the crown princess will fight with you she will defeat you easily," Lei Wanxi remarked.
"I do not think that the crown princess will be able to defeat me," General Xiao said proudly.
"It means I should not take you lightly," Sheng Li pronounced as he balanced himself, looking at Ying Lili who had put her sword at the front of her face. "Indeed, the crown prince shall not take this woman lightly," stated Ying Lili with a smirk.